Vehicle door handle



Feb. 23, 1943. B. s. ELORADAY- VEHICLE DOOR HANDLE Filed Oct. 22, 1941INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 1943 VE HICLE DOOR HANDLE Burton S.Floraday, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Detroit Harvester Company, Detroit,Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application October 22, 1941, Serial No.416,075

2 Claims.

This invention relates to handles particularly adapted for vehicle doorssuch as inside automobile door handles used for actuating door latchesand for operating window regulators, and an object is to produce asimple and eificient handle of this character which substantiallyreduces the amount of metal required and employs in substitution formuch of the metal ordinarily used, plastic materials.

Another object is to produce a handle of this character having a stampedsheet metal stiffener or insert which in the main is covered or encasedin plastic material.

A further object is to produce a vehicle door handle having the new andimproved features of construction and arrangement hereinafter describedand for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment ofthe invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 isa side elevation of a vehicle door handle such as is commonly used forwindow regulator operation;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View substantially on the line 2-2 ofFigure l Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the stamped sheet metalsections making up the stiiiener or insert for the handle; and

Figure 4 is an edge view of the stiffener or insert part shown on Figure3.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a handle H whichis of the type ordinarily mounted on the inside of an automobile doorfor actuating the window regulator mechanism. The handle H comprises aninsert or stiffener member I which is covered by a substantial thicknessof plastic material P which may be of any suitable material such asTem'te, rubber or the like. In forming the handle, the insert I isplaced in a suitable mold and the plastic material is introduced intothe molding to fill the cavity surrounding the insert.

In accordance with this invention, the insert I is of metal and asshown, consists of a pair of sheet metal stampings I having a relativelythin flat horizontal arm II and an outwardly extending enlarged endportion I2. The enlarged end portion I2 is formed with a substantiallyU-shaped cavity I3 formed by outwardly pressing or embossing the metal,there being relatively flat flanges I4 at opposite sides of thedepressed portion which are flush with the adjacent side of the arm II.The opposite end of the arm is provided with an enlargement I5 a portionof which extends in a direction opposite to the enlargement l2. Theenlargement I5 is depressed to form a substantially semi-cylindricalcavity I6. It will be understood that a pair of these sections I0 areemployed, one abutting against the other, these being oppositelydisposed so that the mating cavities I3 together provide substantially arectangular spindle receiving socket, the inner end of which is closed.Also the mating end portions I8 together form a substantiallycylindrical opening for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. Twosections are then fixedly secured together as by a series of spot weldsII.

It will be observed that in molding the part, a flared recess 23 isprovided on the under side in the region of the cylindrical openingformed by the mating .parts I6. After the handle is formed with aplastic covering, a knob 20 is mounted in place. The knob 20 may be ofplastic similar to that forming the body of the handle and embeddedtherein is an elongate pin having a knurled stem portion I9 below whichis a collar I8. Below the collar I8 is a pin portion which passesthrough the opening provided by the mating cylindrical parts I6. Theportion of the pin projecting into the flared socket 23 is headed orriveted over as indicated at 24 to hold the pin in place. This enablesthe knob 20 to be turned and provides a finger engaging piece foroperating the handle.

In the region of the enlargement I2, the plastic material P is formedinto a disc-like collar 2i which cooperates with the usual escutcheon inafiording the desired ornamental appearance as well as increasing thestrength of the handle in that region. Holes 22 are formed in the sidesof the walls of the cavities I3 to receive the usual pin for attachingthe handle to the spindle.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have produced anextremely simple and inexpensive handle construction which reduces to aminimum the amount of metal employed and makes most efficient use of thestiffening metal, to afford the desired rigidity and strength to thestructure. Since the insert can be made from sheet metal stampings, itscost is reduced substantially and enabling the stiffener to be madeefliciently on a production basis.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction,arrangement and operation may be efiectecl without departing from thespirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A vehicle door handle comprising a stamped sheet metal stifienerhaving relatively thin mating sections, each section including anelongate relatively narrow flat arm portion, an enlarged end portionhaving a spindle-receiving socket formed by providing a depressedsubstantially U-shaped cavity in said enlarged end portion and flatabutting flanges on opposite sides of said cavity, spot welds forholding said sections rigidly together, a hard coating of plasticmaterial covering said stiffener, and an integral collar of plasticmaterial on said enlarged end portion.

2. A vehicle door handle comprising a stamped sheet metal stiffenerhaving relatively thin mat ing sections, each section including anelongate relatively narrow arm portion, an enlarged end portion having aspindle-receiving socket formed by providing a depressed substantiallyU-shaped cavity in said enlarged end portion and flat abutting flangeson opposite sides of each cavity, spot Welds for holding said sectionsrigidly together, an enlargement at the opposite end of said stiffenerforming substantially semi-cylindrical cavities in each section therebyto produce an annular bearing portion, a pin in said bearing ortionhaving a narrowed outer end, a plastic knob fitting said narrowed endportion, and a hard coating of plastic material covering said stiffener.

BURTON S. FLORADAY.

